what if xx didnt feel like taking the time to explain, or did not have the time to post a long explination, or maybe they just dont like the look. I do not see the benefits of public ratings. * other than to satisfy peoples curiosities.** Should we make folks only be able to rate if they post a reason? You suppose that it would end drive by ratings? or would it just give the casual user one less reason to rate skins.

Keeping some things behind the scenes for a reason is IMO quite wise.. so queries and accusations are dealt with discretly and to avoid public embarasment for all parties involved.

I'm not a skinner, but don't you folks communicate back and forth when one is working on a project or finishes it and you want to give them comments.  Somehow I can't see a skinner using only feedback on the skins download page as the basis for judgeting how their follow skinners like or dislike their work. 

Am I just not seeing the forest because of the trees that are in the way? 

Often WIP threads and the like will attract a skinner's fans/followers [the author/nick of the OP attracts the interest] so subsequent critique can be somewhat 'rose-coloured'.  When the skin is out in 'the wild' you will attract public users [who may never comment on the Forums at all] whose personal taste/opinion may be profoundly different.

There is a very real trend....I've seen it since day one...in the skin comments.  Almost invariably the first comments will be "wow, cool skin...well done" [fan] but after the first few/half-dozen/page there will be "this effing thing is crap it doesn't even work properly".  This is a perfect example of how a 'fan' can be less than useful/constructive.  The question it raises is..."did these 'fans' even try the skin....how did it not not work for them?"

Often there will be 'trends' in ratings.... where a rating is applied not because of what...but because of who.  This is typically either overly high...or overly low. [fan/non-fan].  Mostly that all balances out over time.  If it doesn't then we look into it and check for trends [eg. drive-by].  Almost always one person will rate another's work with a spread of ratings....indicating merit, not person.  If all of a person's ratings indicate foul play they get a 'please explain'....usually from me.

In reality, over more recent times, I have seen very little issues with skin ratings at all....so few that the issue isn't one at all...

umm, beauty is in the eye of the beholder with a little subjective consideration thrown in. Technical merit aside, even the mods initial rating is partly based on their subjective opinion of the submission. I don't think I need to qualify a reason for giving an 8 rated blind only one star, maybe I just didn't like the color. IMHO, a really good blind is only worth 4 stars, 5 stars are reserved for those that are a step above the rest.

oh and, JTOL, if there are people abusing the process they might be in violation of the TOS, that being the case shouldn't this have been handled with a PM to the mods???

you did say, "because its just being abused currently by people who get their sick thrills out of downgrading skin ratings........."

if that's the case....

me-OW!

Says who?

That has by no means been written in stone.....anywhere.

yep I did say that, because its whats happening, doesnt mean I need to take it to a mod, and nowhere did I mention my own name.

The case is simple. Some folks have first hand experience of the ratings system being abused. Yes, it isn't perfect. No, the mods ability to monitor every putz out there with an agenda isn't perfect either. So some folks would just like to see it gone.

It's kind of..what's the word...'subjective'. Like when some yo-yo wants to take a skin from an 8 to a 1 simply because said yo-yo doesn't like the color and gives no thought to the quality or craftsmanship. Where someone more responsible and mature may have a more mature, thought out, and knowledgable reason for lowering the rating that is not based on the taste in their mouth.

She stated her gripe, with explanation (which is more than can be said for a lot of people who rate a skin whether with some thought to it or a personal agenda) with the rating system and that she would like to see it gone. She didn't say she wanted gone simply because she couldn't get the ratings she would like.

JTOL, why you feel the need to  spin it (especially when it's a bit straight forward to spin) or show us that you know how to use the emotes in such a mature manner is beyond me. But I'm just being subjective.

yeah-yeah